The former Archbishop of Canterbury has stated that Christians are being “persecuted” by the State and face the sack for expressing their beliefs.
In a direct submission to the European Court of Human Rights, Lord Carey commented that Christians were being increasingly “vilified” and “driven underground” by the tendency of UK courts to apply “equality law to discriminate against Christians.”
He said that the failure of Judges to protect the religious freedom of Christians “case after case” demonstrated a “crude” misunderstanding of the faith which has led to believers being treated as “bigots”.
“Christians are excluded from many sectors of employment simply because of their beliefs; beliefs which are not contrary to the public good,” he said.
“It is now Christians who are persecuted; often sought out and framed by homosexual activists.
“Christians are driven underground. There appears to be a clear animus to the Christian faith and to Judaeo-Christian values. Clearly the courts of the United Kingdom require guidance.”
“In a country where Christians can be sacked for manifesting their faith, are vilified by State bodies, are in fear of reprisal or even arrest for expressing their views on sexual ethics, something is very wrong.
“It affects the moral and ethical compass of the United Kingdom.”
European Court of Human Rights
Lord Carey’s comments were made in relation to the cases of four Christians who have been penalised for their faith at work, cases which are now before the European Court of Human Rights.
This includes the case of Shirley Chaplin, a Christian Legal Centre client, who was forced off the wards as a front line nurse because she did not want to remove her cross; and the case of Gary McFarlane, who lost his job as a relationships counsellor merely for saying, on a staff training day, that he may have a conscientious objection to giving a homosexual couple direct sex therapy.
Lord Carey has urged the European Court to protect religious freedom, commenting that the four rulings, which had left freedom of belief without “any substantive effect” in Britain, would result in Christians facing a “religious bar” to employment if not overturned.
Not Ashamed of the Cross
Christian Concern recently launched the ‘Not Ashamed of the Cross’ campaign, calling on the Prime Minister to reverse the Government's submission to the European Court and back the four Christians in their cases.
The Campaign is asking the Prime Minister to align the Government’s submission with his public support of Christian values at a recent Easter event, at which he told a gathering of senior church leaders that the nation needed Christian values and also that he supported a "fight back" against rising secularism.
Sources
Resources
Not Ashamed of the Cross Campaign
Christian Concern: Religious Freedom